Campus-wide Data Services & Resources

There are many resources on campus for faculty and graduate students who need assistance during the research lifecycle. From data management planning to storage and publication, we can help you with your data. If you have a question about something that is not listed below, please contact us.

Research data management information. We are also available for consultation by request.

Need help with new technologies (clickers, PowerPoint, Blackboard, etc.)? TAC can help!

Data visualization (ditch that ugly Excel plot!) - coming soon

OSU Data Policies

Data Stewardship & Retention

Data generated by research projects at or under the auspices of Oregon State University are owned by the University. However, the principle investigator (PI) is responsible for retention, preservation, distribution, and control of the data.

The PI is responsible for data stewardship in the following areas:

the identification, collection, management and retention of research data as custodian for the University;

ensuring that, for all aspects of their research program, sufficient records are kept to document the experimental methods and accuracy of data collection as well as the methods and accuracy of data interpretation. Records should be sufficient to enable a retrospective audit, if necessary.

OSU does not have a research data retention policy, but it has a Records Retention Policy and a General Records Retention Schedule that affects Human Subjects Records and Institutional Animal Care and Use Records. These need to be retained for a minimum of 3 years after the project is completed. Additional data sharing and/or archiving requirements may be imposed by the sponsoring agency on all kinds of research data; the PI is responsible for complying with such requirements.

Institutional Review Board

If your work involves human subjects, you may need to limit the extent of the research that you share to protect the rights and privacy of individuals per OSU IRB policies. Funding agencies recognize the need to adhere to these policies and regulations. Your data management plan should explicitly state which information you are not sharing due to IRB concerns; it is also important to share some form of your data.

Contact the IRB with questions about human subjects regulations. OSU Libraries Research Data Services can assist you with anonymization.

Intellectual Property

The OUS defines intellectual property as, “any new and useful process, machine, device, manufacture, or composition of matter, and any new and useful improvements.” The creation of intellectual property during the course of your research may have implications on if and when your data will be shared. NSF allows the retention of intellectual property to the grantees, but that does not preclude sharing of results, data, and collections with other researchers (see NSF Data Sharing Policy, in Part VI of the Award and Administration Guide, Section D.4.d, Intellectual Property, Dissemination and Sharing of Research Results)

Visit the Office for Commercialization and Corporate Development (OCCD) for more information.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Funding agencies including the NSF and HHS mandate training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR). Data management activities overlap with many core areas of RCR because data are so integral to the research process. For a complete, self-guided RCR instruction module on data management, see here.